Back to the past
by MoonRider-13
Summary: Sequel to 'If Something Were To Happen' Just a test chapter to see if enough people want me to continue with this story. Sanyu, now 15, after 12 years is pulled back into the well and comes face to face with...well, you shall see.
1. This Can't Be Happening

**So this is a Sequel I started to 'If Something Were To Happen' I honestly don't know if I am going to finish it but it was running through my mind and it sounded good to me. I only have one chapter and I'm not going to write anymore of it unless I know that poeple will actual want to read it. So here is the first chapter and if I get enough reviews for me to continue I will start working on it right away in my spare time. I am only asking becasue I think 'If Something Were To Happen' ended beautifully, though I am bias. lol But some might not like that I'm adding to it years later. So I would like opinions on whether I should write this one at all. If not I will simply delete 'Back To The Past' all together. **

**Back To The Past**

**Chapter 1: This Can't Be Happening**

After twelve years things had finally fallen into the type of style her mother had always hoped for. Her father had found them, the jewel, after all had granted her wish. She had to admit, when her mother had originally made the wish she had lost all hope. It was a loose wish that she hoped would possible come true for her, for surly fate wouldn't let them be separated. At three years old she heard the way her mother spoke of him. Of the way she would tell her stories of him and what he had been like. Their family had finally come together. Now at fifteen she couldn't have seen it happening any other way.

Sanyu smiled up at the house, holding her school books to her as she did so. They had moved away from the well. Her mother had been paranoid about the affects of it. Though the jewel was gone she was worried that fate hadn't had its fill of them. Though she often came by to see her grandmother and to glance down the well just to see what the fuss was about. She didn't dare go near it when her parents were around. Her father was almost just as paranoid. After centuries of searching for her mother he didn't want to lose them again. He said it would tear him apart if he lost them a second time. But, as it was, she had too much of her mother in her.

Pushing her white hair over her shoulder she set the books down on the bench and entered the well house. Looking down into the blackness she circled it. There was nothing cool about the well at all. She often wished, just once, that it would she her just an inkling of what it had once done. But it didn't. Not for her anyway, though she had never actually climbed down to see what would happen. She wasn't scared or anything, but what would she do if she climbed down there and couldn't get back up? How silly would she look? No, that would not be her. The silly little girl that got stuck in the well. She laughed to herself as she looked down into the blackness. Of course without the beads on she could simply jump back to the surface.

"Sanyu?" She turned suddenly at her mothers voice. She would kill her if she found out she had been in here. She could hear her footsteps outside coming nearer. If she was caught in here she would be so grounded. Looking around there was nowhere to hide. Finally she looked down into the well and sighed. it's the darkness or being caught. Darkness…being caught. There really was no competition with this.

"Sanyu?" Turing she pulled the beads from her neck and tossed herself into the well. At least with the beads off she would be able to jump back out without any trouble. She hit the bottom with a thud, her feet spreading the dust around her feet. She kneeled quietly for a long time but never heard anymore footsteps. Thinking her mother had passed the well house by she pushed herself up out of the well and instantly stilled.

"Uh oh." She said aloud as she noticed she was surrounded by trees. Her grandmothers house no where in sight. Ok so she didn't need anyone to tell her that this wasn't her time. She instantly knew where she was. The only problem…even in a different time period her father was still waiting for her with that disappointed look on his face…except, he didn't seem at all happy to see her. It might have been her father, but he had no idea who she was. It was then looking into the golden eyes of her father, seeing him with his armor and two swords at his side, that she realized that she had just made the biggest mistake of her life.

The only thing that kept him from killing her was the fact that she still held her beads in her hand which allowed her markings to show fully. She could easily see the confusion on his face.

"Fath…um…Sesshoumaru?" She asked almost forgetting that he wouldn't know who she was. He turned his head to the side slightly and lifted his nose to the air. His gold eyes seemed dark as they narrowed on her.

"Where do you come from?" She had never in her life heard that tone from her father. It was as if he had never known happiness, never experienced kindness. Then it hit her. Of course he wouldn't have known it, his mother was the one that had changed him into what he was. But…if that was so then…she had went back farther than she realized. This was before he had traveled with his mother. It took her a moment to remember that he had asked her a question.

"The future. I…why are you here?" She suddenly asked changing the subject. She had remembered her mother saying that the well always took her to Inuyasha's forest. What would he be doing here? She backed up against the well when he moved toward her. She had never been afraid of her father, but this was obviously before he would remember that he loved her dearly.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" He said coming toward her. She had ran out of room and the only thing she could do now was stare up at him and wait. She nodded to answer his question. Yea obviously she knew who he was, duh. He suddenly had her by her neck and her hands wrapped around his wrists as she dropped the beads. Her his daughter with his and her mothers powers she easily bruised his skin. It must have startled him because he loosened his grip for a second before pulling her close to him. The motion was supposed to be threatening but she could see the realization fall over his face as he brought her close enough to take in her scent. "Who are you?" He asked harshly. She opened her mouth to show her fangs and bit down on his hand. The ground rushed up under her faster than she thought it would as he let her go. Rubbing her bottom she got back to her feet to level a glare that could rival his own at him.

"I'm your daughter you moron. God! What are you doing trying to kill your heir, geez." She complained letting her mouth run away with her. When she finally reined herself in and look up at him her mouth formed a perfect 'o'. "Oops."

He was glaring at her as if she were lying and she groaned.

"I'm not lying, geez. You can smell me on you I know you can so stop staring at me like I have two heads. No wonder it took mother so long to like you." She mumbled the last part knowing her would still hear her. "Your just like she said you were."

"Your mother?" She looked up at him like he was one of the stupidest people in the world.

"Yea, your mate. You know, that thing you have after you…" She trailed off letting him get the idea as she pulled the beads back over her head, her markings and fangs disappearing. Out of the corner of her eye she could see his claws glowing green and she instantly jumped back.

"I have no mate."

"Whoa now, if you kill me I swear you will be very upset with yourself in, oh say maybe a couple centuries."

"Who is this so called mate then?" Keeping an eye on him she pulled off the bag she carried and pulled out a picture of her parents to show him. His power faded as he took the picture from her.

"Kagome. That's my mother. You waited a long time to find her again in my time." She didn't know what she really thought he would do, but his next words were nothing she thought he would have said.

"I have never seen this woman." Maybe she had went farther back than that then, maybe she was still traveling with Inuyasha at this point.

"She traveled with your brother for a long time." The looked that crossed his features made her pause.

"Girl, my brother has been bound to that tree for hundreds of years." Her jaw dropped. That would mean that her mother had never entered the well. So…that meant…the jewel hadn't ever been shattered. Which meant, they wouldn't meet. Was this even possible? This couldn't be happening. No, she would turn around and hop back down the well and listen to her mother. She would never ever ever ever go near the well again.

She turned to jump down the well when he grabbed back of her shirt pulling her back.

"Your half miko." She looked over her shoulder to scowl at him.

"Duh.. You're the one that healed her and transferred your energy into her. That's what allowed me to be so powerful and not simply a hanyou." She said removing his hand from her person. Dusting herself off for the second time she turned to look down the well.

"Look, this is fun and all, but I want my daddy back, and no offense, but your not him." She actually made it down the well this time, but you can imagine her frustration when she jumped back out only to land back in front of the ornery Sesshoumaru. This was not good.

She sat there pouting and racking her brain for a solution for a long time before Sesshoumaru got bored and continued on his way. Before he could move more than a few feet she grabbed the back of his Kimono much like he had done her and pulled him back.

"Nu uh, you are not leaving me here. You are my father in the future so start acting like it." He turned on her with a snarl puling at his lips.

"I am not your father." He growled before moving away from her. She smiled and folded her arms behind her back traveling behind him a few feet.

"Then I guess you must be wondering how your nose got so screwed up then." She said peeking from the corner of her eye at him. At the light growl that she had been expecting she lifted her head in triumph. She giggled and he shifted his head slightly in her direction.

"Mom was right, I am a lot like you. Stubborn moody and completely full of myself." He turned instantly to wrap a hand around her neck but she expected it this time. Before he could set eyes on her she had moved out of his reach. His eyes widened at her speed only making her laugh more. His poisonous whip appeared and came at her but she tore the beads from her neck again to catch the end of his whip between her clawed hands. He angrily tried to pull it back but she only held tighter.

"That wont work, your power courses through me. Your attacks wont harm me what so ever." She snapped the whip out of his grip and it disappeared as it left his hand.

"How long are you going to deny that I am your daughter?" She asked. He simply turned away from her to continue down the hill. Gathering her beads back up to put them in her pocket she smiled. "If you help me I will be out of your hair for a while." She said trying to persuade him to help her back to her time.

"Its not my problem." She growled at his arrogant demeanor.

"Who knew my father was such an ass." His hands came around to swipe at her face but she caught his wrist and threw him to the ground. She leaned over him with her hand on his throat, not tight, just enough to keep him down. She grinned showing her fangs briefly.

"Did I mention that I'm stronger than you?"


	2. Returning

**So I checked my site again and finally its letting me edit all my stories again. Its about time. I was starting to get upset. So anyway, here is chapter 2 of 'Back to the Past' This is just a second part to 'If Something Were To Happen' that I have decided to play around with. Who knows, it might turn out just as good as the first one. Guess we will see. Good reading to you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**Chapter 2: Returning**

"Hey mom?" Kagome called walking into the kitchen where her mother stood over the sink washing dishes. She paused in her steps as she really looked at her mother. It had been 12 years since Sesshoumaru had shown up at their door and those years had taken a toll on her mothers features. Her dark hair had started to shine with grey and her face was decorated with wrinkles from the years she had lived. Kagome looked down at her young smooth hands and realized she would never grow so old. She would be young for a long time yet, it would be centuries before her age started setting in on her if it ever did at all.

Glancing back into the living room behind her Sesshoumaru, just as young as he had been back in the feudal era, and Souta, now a handsome man, were flipping through the channels. It was such a normal scene that she sometimes forgot just how different they really were. Souta had aged with their mother. He wasn't that little boy anymore, he was in his twenties and had a steady, ok mostly steady, girlfriend of his own that he actually brought around just to tell stories of Sesshoumaru that she never believed. It still shocked her how much he had grown. He was now taller than her reaching just under Sesshoumaru and she swore she would never get use to that prickly hair that he just had to have on his face.

"Yes honey?" He mother answered pulling her back from her thoughts. She had to shake her head to figure out what she had been saying.

"Have you seen Sanyu?" She asked setting down a plate so her mother could wash it. "I haven't seen her since dinner." At her slight worry she could feel Sesshoumaru in the doorway behind her. His aura, even after all the time that had passed, still calmed her but she could feel that something was wrong. It was like when her powers would spike with a demon near by. Something wasn't right.

Her mother's hands stopped in mid scrub as she looked up out the window in front of her. Her eyes shifted over the yard as she tried to remember.

"Last time I saw her she was …" The plate she had been holding above the soupy water suddenly fell from her fingers hitting the edge of the sink. Sesshoumaru was there in an instant catching the plate before it shattered at their feet.

"Mom?" If Kagome hadn't been worried before she was now. He mother had never made such a mistake as to drop one of their grandmothers china.

"She was at the well." Her whispered words would have escaped her years ago but now she heard them loud and clear. Sesshoumaru was gone before she had the chance to look up at him in horror. She saw her mother lift a hand to her mouth only moments before she hurriedly followed after him. He already had one of her school books in his hand when she arrived beside him.

"It's not possible."

"Are you really that surprised? You were 15 when you were sucked into the well."

"How can you act so calm about this? Our daughter has been sucked to a different time!" He took her roughly by her shoulders and shook her. His gold eyes bore down onto her as his fingers bruised her skin.

"The well was supposed to be closed!"

"After everything you have been through did you really think it was that easy?" She growled and pulled herself out of his grasp and stomped toward the well. She was not going to just sit here like her mother was forced to. She had slung open the door when he pulled her back.

"You can't."

"What do you mean I can't?" She was furious. Why was he trying to stop her. Didn't he know what it had been like. Ok sure, it hadn't been that bad for her but come on, it was her daughter.

"I can't lose you both. What's keeping the well from closing behind you both. I was trapped without you for too long. I still remember the Destined Mates pull. Do you understand how agonizing it is?"

"Do you understand how agonizing not knowing how my daughter is?" She got where he was coming from. He didn't want to lose her.

"I'll go after her." He said softly as he brushed his knuckles against her cheek. As much as she wanted to let him go there was no way that he could.

"The well wont let you through. Your too much demon for it to work. I have to go." She could see his jaw lock with his frustration. She had to give him credit though, he had come a long way with his anger. Bowing her head she turned to go back to the house and minutes later they both met back up in front of the well. Kagome had donned her outfit from 15 years ago. Her bow and arrows were strapped to her back and her yellow pack was substituted with a small shoulder satchel that she let cling across her chest and fall by her thigh. Her daggers were strapped high on her thigh so her fingertips brushed their hilts. After patting herself down to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything she finally looked up at him. She could have cried right then and there. It was that day at his castle all over again. The day she had made the wish and disappeared from right in front of him. This time would be just as uncertain as that time. Taking a steady breath she moved closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. She wouldn't leave this time without a hug. Not without something. He strapped something around her waist and when she pulled back she saw Tokijin there.

"Sesshoumaru…" She didn't have a chance to speak as he buries his lips against hers. Her eyes watered as his arms tightened around her. His lips brushed her neck as he took her in. She smiled. Even after all this time he couldn't live without her scent.

Without a word she pulled back and slowly removed the beads from around her neck, the blue markings of his youkai instantly took their place over her skin showing not only who she belonged to but her place as Lady of the West. Dropping the beads in his open palm she waited for him to say something, anything, when she realized that he wouldn't. He would never, in his long life, ever say goodbye to her. And she doubted she could either. So as she moved away from him toward the well she let her fingers trail down his arm until finally having no choice but to leave him. Stepping up on the lip of the well was the hardest thing she had ever done. As she looked back at him she pulled the band out of her hair to let 12 years worth of growth fall around her shoulders and down her back. It flew out behind her as she jumped down into the well. The blue light consumed her. A blue light she had begged for those first years after making the wish. She had begged and pleaded for this light. Now she wished she had never seen it again. She landed in a crouch at the bottom of the well with her long hair brushing the dirt underneath her boots.

The sky was clear over her head with the days light fading fast on her. The smell of the forest cut through her small amount of youkai senses reminding her that she lived in a time of sky scrappers and gas polluting cars. No wonder Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru complained about her time. She hadn't realized just how much more clean this periods air was. Rolling to her feet she scaled the wall easily. She scanned her senses out around her.

"Sanyu…" She whispered. "Please be safe."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sanyu had been following behind her so called 'father' for the last 4 hours. He hadn't said more than two words to her since she practically beat his ass and she light had left them in complete darkness. And yet the dummy still traveled for another hour before he had finally stopped and started building a fire. As she sat Indian style she watched his every move with careful precision. Her mother had been right, he didn't seem like the kind of man that would know how to rough it but he was. He had shed his outer robes and laid his swords down, though it was a given that they would be on the opposite side from her. As if she couldn't just speed right over and take them, luckily for him she wasn't interested in his swords.

His tail curled around his thigh as he bend to light the fire with his glowing claws. That's one thing she didn't envy. A tail? Really? Like she wasn't weird enough going to school. Looking down, she rolled the cool beads through her fingers. There was really no point in wearing them here but she didn't want to lose them either. There was still at least a small chance that she would make it home before she got old and wrinkled.

She frowned when she felt his heated stare. She knew that look well. She received if more often than she would like back at home when she would forget to do her homework or when she did something that she shouldn't have. The difference was she had done her homework and this Sesshoumaru didn't know her well enough to know that she had went down the well when she had been told strictly to stay away from it. Instead of a glare of disappointment she was receiving one of annoyance and frustration. Luckily for her she had her school pack with her with her new ipod tucked snuggly in the side pocket. Screw annoyed glares and evil stares, she had an ipod full of her favorite songs and a voice that would make her a star one day. If only she had charged it. She thought as she saw the empty battery flashing across the screen.

"Perfect! Just my luck." She could feel his eyes on her as she dug through her pack to find her charger. She had created herself a charger that would steel energy from her phone to use with her ipod or vise versa, and since she doubted they got reception here she figured it was the perfect time to use it. Amazingly it worked and within 20 minutes the music was blaring out the small earphones.

She was just about to plop on into her ear when she saw the look on his face. Considering the fact that he might decide to rip the buds from the ipod she help it out to him.

"Want me to show you?" He snarled at her but his eyes never left the device.

"What game are you playing girl." She laughed at his defensiveness.

"No game. Just thought I would be nice to my elders and show you how it works." She was surprised to see that he was actually considering it. Not ever her own father was easily given over to curiosity. He was as stubborn as she was and twice as hardheaded. So when he gave a nod it took her a minute to realize he was allowing her closer. Leaving her pack she moved to settle herself a few inches from his side. Turing the music down as low as she thought he needed it she help one of the buds out to him.

"This goes in your ear, its so you can hear the music." Rolling her finger across the screen she tried to find a soft song that wouldn't hurt his ears as he took the ear piece from her and sniffed at it.

"What is this?"

"My ipod." She stated not looking up. When she glanced over at him he was running his finger across the covering of the ear buds. "Oh, the covering? it's a foam material they use so that it wont hurt in inside of your ears." For some reason the material fascinated him. Then of course she had to remember where she was. They didn't have material like that here. Their's were silk and cotton. They didn't know of all the hundreds of other materials out there in the world. After a moment he finally held the bud to his ear though he refused to just put it in. He wrinkled his nose at her music and she rolled her eyes.

"Yea, you don't like it in my time either. Can't a girl at least have one father that likes her music."

"I'm not your father." He growled and she just rolled her eyes again.

"Are you still on that. I thought it was obvious. Isn't your nose smelling right, its as plane as the tail on your ass." He growled and threw a clawed hand out at her. She had expected the growl but the glowing claws had her falling backwards in the dirt. In the surprise he had easily overtaken her as he cupped a hand around the back of her neck.

"If you were mine I would have trained you better."

"You didn't raise me in the feudal era doggy boy I was raised in the 21st century, get a clue. We train pets not daughters."

"I should have beat you at birth."

"You weren't there the first three years so there!" She countered sticking her tongue out at him. He was about to comment when his grip suddenly loosened. She would have questioned him if just then a familiar scent hadn't wafted up her nose. She didn't dare saw the word. Now until she knew it wasn't her mind playing tricks on her. Oh god please don't let her be going crazy. In second a woman with hair swinging at the base of her back stepped just into the circle of light the fire made. She didn't recognize a think about her but as she looked up at her she knew.

"Mama?"

Kagome smiled in relief at hearing her daughters voice. She stepped toward her just as a green light caught her attention from the corner of her eye. She barely escaped as it flew toward her. She skidded to the left just to be forced to the ground as the whip slashed over her head.

"Stay back!"

"But Mama…"

"Do as your told!" She yelled as she rolled to her feet and notched her bow. She let the arrow fly as the whip came down on her. The arrow cut through the whip vanishing it completely leaving Kagome to stare through the vanishing green embers at the Sesshoumaru from her past.


	3. What I Once Knew

**So here we go with Chapter 3. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: **Does not own Inuyasha

**Chapter 3: What I Once Knew**

He was as stoic and regal as she remembered him to be. She had almost let herself forget the way he was before they had traveled together. His gold eyes glowed in the dark as his long silver hair flowed around his form. The robes of a traditional house of the west. She had almost forgotten the image.

The green of his whip dissipated and she let herself relax. Dropping her shoulders she turned to her daughter with a frown on her face as she spoke to Sesshoumaru evenly.

"We can be civil about thiiisssshit….." Before she could complete her sentence she could feel herself falling backwards as she was pulled off her feet. The thud of her head hitting the ground shook her brain and the packed dirt running into her back stole her breath. She barely had time roll onto her side to spit the dirt out of her mouth before she was being pulled forcibly across the ground. She reached for her bow but it was left behind in the dust as it slipped out of her reach. She dug her fingers into the ground but it didn't make any difference. Rolling onto her back his gold eyes bore into her with a fierceness that chilled her to the bone. The poison of his whip wrapped around her ankle was burning through her clothes, stinging her skin.

She would realize later that her first mistake had been forgetting. She had let herself forget his very behavior, his indifference to everything around him. She had let herself forget the way he fought as if he had nothing to lose. She had forgotten that he wouldn't just lay down with defeat. Most of all she had let herself forget he was all Youkai.

Her second mistake had been not realizing that he had two arms. How had she missed that fact? With both his arms she wouldn't be able to tear through one whip and hope it to be over. Her was merciless, he would not stop until she was flat on her back. With her being pulled closer to his glowing claws that fact that he shouldn't have his arm escaped her completely.

His whip was tight around her ankle as she searched for a way out. It took her only a second to realize that she would never be able to wield the sword and had only one choice. Swinging herself up, she wrapped her fingers around the acidic whip. Unlike her daughter his poison still burned her skin as she wrapped it around her hand. Her skin sizzled with the acid but she bit her tongue and tore the whip from his hand. She had learned years ago that as long as he started the whip she could maintain it. Sadly, this Sesshoumaru wouldn't know that.

With it still wrapped snuggly around her own ankle she let it fly out toward him wrapping around his leg. As soon as it was laced around his leg she swung her foot around in a circle forcing his leg out from under him. She supposed that it shocked him that she was able to bring him off his feet because he shook his head trying to get the disrupted dust to clear.

That was all the time she needed to be on him with a dagger at his throat. They both went completely still as he finally looked at her. His snarl ruined the features of his face but he didn't dare move with the blade held tight at his throat. The frustrated curl of her own lips faded the moment she locked eyes with him. Her hand shook as she stared into the same eyes she had just left behind, only different. They were heated with hatred. It had been 15 years since those eyes had looked at her filled with such hate. She could remember a time when she had one been terrified of those eyes.

Inwardly shaking herself, she forced a growl through her lips as his snarl continued. She saw her own face in the reflection of the blade. It was a person she didn't remember becoming. She didn't recognize her own reflection anymore. No, that was wrong, she did recognize it, it mirrored the mans underneath her perfectly. Realizing this, she sucked in a deep breath and exhaled all her tension so she could allow her calm to flow back to her.

"You have never in your life ever listened to me Sesshoumaru but as your mate please." She plead even knowing that he wouldn't remember having mated her. With her dagger still held at his neck she tore her eyes away to find her daughter.

"Gather your things Sanyu. We are leaving." She called gently.

"But mama…"

"This isn't the time Sanyu." She countered forcefully. That had been her third and final mistake. Allowing herself to be distracted from her opponent. His hand was like lightning as it wrapped around her neck cutting off her air supply. He wrapped her hands around his wrist as her dagger was left in the dirt. He easily held her off the ground as he snarled up at her. His face let nothing out but his eyes bore into her with a fierceness she had forgotten he possessed.

"Do you have any idea who I am." She sucked in a breath and tears came to her eyes.

"Lord Sesshoumaru" She whispered using his title. "…my mate…husband…"Her words grew soft with her fading air. "My love…my life." Closing her eyes momentarily she let her hands fall loose at her sides. She ran through her mind how to get out of this but for once she didn't know how. She had never been in this position with him before. Never had she trained with him for this. She knew how to get out of every tight spot except this. With his hand wrapped like a noose around her neck her only way out would be to use to miko energy but that would kill him. She had thought she would have been able to catch him off guard since she had known him so well, but it proved to her how much she didn't know this Sesshoumaru. She had to wonder whether she had ever really known him at all, or had she simply just changed him? "Sesshoumaru…" Her mind was growing dark when he suddenly dropped her.

"What were you thinking, you were going to kill your own mate idiot!" Sanyu yelled without thinking as she threw her shoe at his head. She had to admit it was childish but it got his attention.

He snarled and threw her back as he let his eyes slide over the woman. She was nothing to him. How had she thought to keep him down. He turned to the child on the ground only to see that she was giving him an expression that could kill. He had only seen that look on one person before, himself. It wasn't possible. That line ran through his head a million times but there was no denying that she was obviously his. He took a step toward the girl and was instantly pinned to a tree by a glowing blue arrow. It had sliced through the skin of his shoulder missing any bones. He snarled and moved to pull it out but the miko power surrounding it scorched his fingers. Realizing his position he growled as the woman stood and moved toward him. Her bow and arrows were back on her back but the dagger glowed in her hand. Her expression was calm, a mask of indifference that he was astounded by. As she stopped to retrieve her other dagger from the ground her brown eyes flashed gold for just a moment as her black hair fell in her face. She rushed at him and planted her daggers into the tree crossing his neck forcing his head back to keep from cutting his neck on the blades. Their scowls matched as they stared at each other.

"You trained me well, Lord Sesshoumaru." She said forcing his title through her teeth.

"You would do well not to mock me Miko."

"Losing to a girl twice in one day must bite huh?" Sanyu said interveaning. At her mothers look she turned her eyes to the ground and took a step back.

"What were you thinking Sanyu? We thought we had lost you."

"I was thinking you two were too clingy. You were 15 when you went down the well."

"And look where its gotten me."

"You found daddy." Sesshoumaru watched as they argued. Though with how calm Kagome was he hadn't decided how angry she was yet. She was almost as hard to read as he was. At her daughters words She glanced up at him. In that instant her brown eyes melted, liquefying into a momentary sadness that consumed her. It was a sadness that he couldn't even begin to understand.

"Do you think your father can take anymore?" She whispered turning her gaze back onto her daughter. "Do you realize what you have done? I have been forced to leave him for the second time We have to leave. We must go back." She said yanking one of her daggers from his neck. It was quick and didn't leave a scratch on him. He didn't miss the easy way with which she handled her blades. It was true, someone had obviously taught her well though he wouldn't allow himself to believe that what she said was true.

"We can't. I tried. The well wouldn't let me back through." Kagome stopped in her tracks.

"Your sure?" She asked. Sanyu only nodded in answer. Kagome took a deep breath. Her shoulders rolled, releasing her frustration. Both parties watched as she raised her eyes to the night sky.

"Mama?" Sanyu asked cautiously.

"Go to sleep Sanyu. We will figure out what to do in the morning." With a pout forming her lips Kagome watched as her daughter silently seated herself against a tree just outside the light of the fire and pushed the buds of her ipod into her ears. She shook her head knowing that in moments her daughter would be asleep with the music still blaring in her ears.

"One day she will lose that amazing hearing because of that thing." She mumbled to herself.

He had to agree with her. He could hear the music from where he was pinned across the fire from the girl and it had his own ears ringing. He didn't know how she stood it. He glanced up to see Kagome eyeing him and he growled at her. She didn't even flinch as she zeroed in on him finally remembering that Sesshoumaru was still stuck against the tree. Removing Tokijin, she held it in her hands, the cool metal shimmered against her fingers in the moons light. She looked it over as if it were precious cargo before resting it against the tree her daughter had claimed.

She glanced down at Sanyu to make sure she wouldn't hear them before turning back to face him. For a moment she just watched him. She moved toward him with a lethalness that he could visibly feel. He hadn't noticed it when she had first shown herself. There was a lot he hadn't noticed. Like the way she rolled her shoulders like a true predator would as they considered their options. How she walked with a smooth gait, her steps flowing with her body.

She had the right instincts for a youkai but she had the heart of a human. Her feelings controlled her and he would never understand that. From what they told him he had started letting his mind take a backseat to his emotions but he couldn't see that ever happening. Not over a human girl. He would have never have claimed a human woman. Only his father would have done such a thing and he had sworn he wouldn't be his father.

"You best release me Miko."

His voice rolled over her like thunder. He hadn't spoken to her like that since the day she had disobeyed his orders and had the incident with his dead mother. That had been a frightening day. Letting her shoulders roll she let her voice settle to an even calm tone. Yelling at him wouldn't work, she already knew that much. She had to remember how he had been, the way he used to be. Taking a deep breath she pulled her other dagger from the tree and off his neck and sheathed it back at her thigh. Wrapping her fingers around the arrow she paused. She was trusting him when she shouldn't. She kept thinking of him as the man she had come to know him as but he wasn't that man yet.

He was a youkai. He was the ice prince that she had feared and hated. He was the stubborn, pigheaded, emotionless asshole Inuyasha had fought. But she couldn't bring herself to think of him like that anymore. Not after the last 15 years. Not after realizing what he hid within himself. Looking up into his gold eyes she could clearly see his frustration and anger at her for putting him in this position. She knew that as soon as she released him he would come at her again.

"Lord Sesshoumaru." She breathed evenly. "I just want to take my daughter home." She said as she pulled the arrow from his shoulder releasing him. As she expected, as soon as he was free he twisted her long hair around his claws and jerked her head to the side. She ground her teeth as he forced her to the ground. The hand with her hair pushed between her shoulder blades until she swore her spine cracked.

"You should have never let her wander off." He said roughly at her ear.

"I wasn't going to keep her chained Sesshoumaru. She's a child." She ground out. He growled roughly in her ear and jerked her head back lifting her chin from the dirt.

"If I am truly her father I would have beaten her for such disobedience."

"Your not that person in the future. You wouldn't lay a hand on her…or I." She said fisting her hands around the dirt beneath her. She knew this was going to be a low blow but he was too stubborn to simply listen. She threw the dirt over her shoulder up into his eyes and let out a high pierced scream that had his ears ringing. Of course Sanyu still rested peacefully with her music drowning them out.

When he let up on her back she rolled and pushed her glowing hands up at his face.

"If you back off and let us rest I will give you Tokijin. I know you have been searching for a sword that will rival Inuyasha's. Tokijin is the sword you will finally have made and I will willingly hand it over to you." Her words poured out of her mouth with a speed that replaced the ringing from her scream.

"I have been searching for no such sword. I have no need for one." Kagome just stared at him in disbelief. This couldn't be right, surely he wouldn't give up the opportunity to beat his brother without having to go through the trouble of finding the sword on his own. Not unless…

"Your daughter and you are in the wrong place Miko. My brother has been stuck to the tree for over a hundred years. He is no threat to me even if he were free." Kagome was so shocked that she let her hands fall to her sides. To her surprise he got up off her and dusted himself off and turned his back to her as if she were nothing but a piece of dirt he had wiped from his clothes.

"This would mean that I haven't came through the well yet." She pushed herself up on her hands as it sunk in. When she looked back up at him he had sat himself down across the fire from her daughter and was eyeing her with that analyzing stare she remembered from their nights of traveling. Though he didn't say anything else to her as she pulled herself away from the fire's heat eyeing him all the while expecting him to jump her again. When he seemed content to simply stare at the fire she allowed her mind wander.

She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. She could remember a time when sleeping on the ground was second nature to her but she had had 15 years to grow accustomed to a bed again and this was not what she had planned to happen in her future.

Pulling her legs up she wrapped her arms around her knees as she watched the flames. She hadn't came prepared. She didn't have any food or clothes. She just had to hope that the well would let them back through before it was too late.

Glancing at him through her hair she could tell her was still watching her from the corner of his eye. She realized that she couldn't stay in his company. She had come back too far and she was in danger of changing their present. But what was she supposed to do?

"Miko." She rolled her eyes toward him as he called her by the nick name she had grown used to over those weeks traveling with him.

"Demon." He sneered at her comeback. The woman had clearly lost her mind.

"If you tell the truth then you know I would beat you for your tongue." She only nodded as she focused her attention on the fire.

"At one point you would have, yes." His eyes turned to slits at her words. Realizing she wasn't going to say anything else he finally broke through the silent night air.

"Why did I choose a human?"

"So you are acknowledging that I am yours?" She asked glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"So it would seem. You have the marks of the West. Its obvious."

"But you still don't believe."

"Why would I choose a human?" He asked again ignoring her statement. She closed her eyes momentarily before answering him.

"You didn't. We didn't choose each other. But it worked, we worked."

"A human and youkai cannot just work." She frowned at his assumption. So they were back at this. They had backtracked a long ways after she had come so far with him. It was going to be like teaching a child over again. A child with a stubborn way of forgetting what they had learned every five minutes. She rolled her shoulders to relieve any tension she carried. She had to keep force herself to remember how he had been before they met. She would have to relearn him all over again. Taking a deep breath she let her words flow like water off her tongue.

"We were never meant to be, but somehow…we were destined. Fate threw us together and with all intense of purposes, it worked." She turned her gaze away from him. There was so much she could tell him. So much she could say to try and get him to see, but she knew what he really wanted to know and there was no way for her to answer. "I can't explain to you, Lord Sesshoumaru, why it happened. It just did." She could tell by the wat his eyes flashed in the fire light that he was angry. She didn't know what he wanted from her. She had grown so used to the way he was that she didn't know how to act around him now.

She glanced up fully to look at him, to really look at him. His outer robes were laid over a tree much like he had been that first night after he saved her 15 years ago. The fire glowed over his pale skin turning it orange in its fading light. Looking at him now brought back so many memories. It made her miss the man she had left behind. Closing her eyes she could feel the slight pull on her aura letting her know she was away from her mate. A few weeks would be bearable, a few months would cause an ache to settle over her heart. And years…she didn't even want to consider it. "I just want to take my daughter home." She whispered into the empty darkness.

"What makes you think I would just let you leave." At his harsh words she let her eyes roll over him. His position was stiff, as if ready to fight at any moment. Though he seemed relaxed, his muscles never eased. Her eyes had grown sharper and she could see that tail tell signs of his jaw tightening and his forearm flexing as his hand rested over his thigh.

"Because I know you Sesshoumaru." She said softly forcing him to perk his ears to hear her.

"You don't know anything about me." She shifted her head up at his tone. Her chin raised with her pride.

"Your right. I know what you will become. That's enough."

"And what, Miko, makes you think I would make the same mistake twice?" Her brows knitted together as she pushed herself up off the ground. His gold eyes followed her movements as she made her way toward him. She held no fear in her strides. Her hair fell down over her shoulder as she leaned down to make eye contact with him. A growl formed in his throat with her so close he could smell her. Her long hair swung, just brushing the fabric of his pants. For the second time he glimpsed the gold flash through her eyes, and just as fast as her stern features had appeared, they were gone. Replaced by a sort of solemn peace.

"You will make a lot of mistakes in your long life Sesshoumaru, but believe me, I will not…be one of them." She lingered a moment before lifting herself and spinning on her heal. Sometime between her leaning down and her words floating over his cheek, his growl had vanished. She was nothing he had ever dealt with before.

She didn't even look back at him as she disappeared out of reach of the fires glow. Sanyu was safe, he would not harm her, but she wouldn't take the chance. As long as she was here, she couldn't allow herself to get close to him. So with her words to him she had made her decision. She couldn't allow herself to be near the very man she had fallen in love with all those years before.


	4. When There Are No Other Options

**I have no idea where this will end or how it will turn out. I get ideas and I just write until I'm drained…or until I get made with how something is phrased and can't find the right words. I'm along for the ride, just like you are. I hope you enjoy. Chapter 5 should be right behind this one.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**Recap: **"You will make a lot of mistakes in your long life Sesshoumaru, but believe me, I will not…be one of them." …So with her words to him she had made her decision. She couldn't allow herself to be near the very man she had fallen in love with all those years before.

**Chapter 4: When There Are No Other Options**

The next morning, Kagome got up earlier than she had ever remembered. Sesshoumaru was gone but that wasn't really a big surprise to her. Not since he didn't really know who they were, or so it seemed. She couldn't really blame him. If someone came up and told her she had a daughter 15 years ago she would have looked at them like they had just got off the short bus. Nothing against the short bus people but come on, who dresses you?

Looking around the clearing she noticed that Sanyu still slept peacefully with her buds still blazing in her ears. She hadn't been kidding before, one day that girl was going to go deaf. Though that wasn't her main concern at the moment.

She couldn't remember how far the well was from here but she was sure she would be able to check it out before Sanyu woke. Just a test. If the well didn't work they could work from there. If what Sanyu said was true then there was no point in waking her till she knew for sure that it would let her back. Though what good was that when the whole point had been to bring Sanyu home. Then of course there was the possibility that she would get through without Sanyu and be stuck right where they began. In that case there would be a serious problem. Leaving her bow and arrows she let her fingers brush against the daggers at her sides as she brushed the bangs from her daughters eyes. She had to wonder why the well would choose now to open for her. Not only for Sanyu, who had just turned 15 not a few weeks before, but her as well. When she had begged for it to allow her passage all those years before it had denied her, but now, when everything had finally fallen into place, the well opened and has left her feeling vulnerable and completely hopeless for what to do.

Glancing down at her daughter she couldn't help but smile even in her current situation.

"Such a hassle you are." She said shaking her head with a smile. Stretching her aura out she couldn't feel anything threatening in the area , unless you counted Sesshoumaru. She figured he hadn't gone far. He would still be curious though he wouldn't outright admit that fact. He wasn't a threat to them, though at this moment she had to remind herself of that constantly. With one last glance over her shoulder at Sanyu she moved toward the well. She knew well that her daughter could take care of herself but she was still a child. She could remember feeling like nothing could harm her only to realize that the world was filled with objects and people who would, could, and wouldn't think twice.

With her every step she could feel a dread settling over her head, spreading a heavy layer over her shoulders and back. The heaviness of a nearing storm, a closing in threat that hadn't quite reached her area of seeing. Somehow, she knew that the well wouldn't let her through though the reason why after it had not a few hours before left her with more questions than answers. Thinking back on it, maybe she had known it from the moment she had decided to follow Sanyu, perhaps she had left knowing it would close behind her. It would seem right for the type of luck that had been following her as of late. It was most likely the reason she hadn't felt it necessary to bring Sanyu along. If you already know the answer to something there is no point to bring others in on it when all your looking for is truth behind your own gut.

As she entered the clearing with the well, it was like she was thrown back in time. Memories of her first arrival filled her. She had to admit, this time around had been a lot easier, well, that is if she continued to pretend Sesshoumaru hadn't tried to kill her.

Her brown eyes scanned the wells surface before moving toward it.

"My old friend." She said softly as she circled the well allowing her fingers to trace over its decaying wood. Looking down into its darkness she almost let herself believe that she was 15 again. She absently wondered whether it had been easier for her then or now. She was stronger now, but did it matter how strong she had become really? She had never had the chance to fight until the last few months she was here. She hadn't needed strength, but…if she had had it, would she have used it? She was wiser, but did she really know anything more than she did when she first was pulled through? It would seem so but now, after meeting Sesshoumaru again, she had to ask herself how much she had really learned over what he had learned. Was it possible that he had been changed before she even knew him, perhaps Rin had been the turning point in his life. If that were so then she didn't really know him at all. Not at this point in time, before he had met Rin.

"Miko." The voice, no matter how many times she had heard it before, still sounded like thunder. She was tempted to count until the lightning struck, just like her mother had taught her to do, just like she had taught him to do over time.

Blinking to push the memories back she let herself remember where she was. She turned her head slightly in the direction his voice had come from but that was it.

"You do realize that I am just as much demon as I am miko." She said slowly letting the words roll off her tongue with a smoothness she knew her 15 year old self hadn't possessed. When he didn't reply she returned to looking down into the well, contemplating whether she really wanted to know her fate.

"For someone who was concerned for their daughter, you sure do leave her alone a lot." His biting sarcasm left her face hot.

"For someone who doesn't seem to give a shit, you are all up in my business. If she is truly not yours, then why care?"

"You mistake my curiosity for care. That will be your mistake."

She let a smile curve her lips at his accidental word play. Making sure to hide her smile, she turned to look at him. Acting the part of a superior youkai was interesting, if not plain fun. She let her eyes scan him from head to toe with a type of somber dismissal that was sure to annoy him. She didn't know why she was so bent on pushing him, perhaps to test her luck.

"So you admit that your curious?" She opened her arms out away from her in a show of openness. Showing that she wasn't interested in fighting. "Intrigued perhaps?" His eyes slanted to slits, that silver brow lifting the way she knew it would. "Are you afraid that maybe we are right? That I present a future to you that is so unthinkable. Is it really that hard to accept Sesshoumaru?" He took a step toward her and she instantly took a step back. His brows knitted together in irritation and she smiled. "Now Lord Sesshoumaru, lets not make this harder on ourselves. You must realize how much easier it will be to simply…let us go."

"And if you cannot return?"

"You will leave anyway. There is no reason for you to concern yourself with us right?" She said letting her head fall to the side slightly like a predator playing with its food.

She was playing games with him, rearranging words trying to throw him off. He was used to her kind. It was the youkai way. To toy with ones mind, that was youkai. But she would have had to learn it from someone, she had once been human and humans didn't understand the concept as clearly.

"How long have we known each other Miko?" He asked stepping back away from her to turn his back on her. He was either confident enough to not worry or he was seriously distracted by the new turn of events. She would have ignored his question if it weren't for his tone. His curiosity that she was sure wasn't in his normal character.

"Over 15 years Sesshoumaru-sama." She said softly lowering her eyes as she remembered those years. "I would say we have known each other for 17 years or so." When he didn't move or say anything else she took a step toward him but thought better of it. " Against everything you think Lord Sesshoumaru, those years were amazing. I learned so much from you, about your culture. You taught our daughter more than I knew possible. Against everything you know and think, we have a great life together."

He turned on her with a snarl that left her surprised in the dirt. She should have realized such talk would have angered him. He was still in those days when nothing but himself mattered. He was angry at the world and was worse off than when she had known him.

"I'm sorry Sesshoumaru, I didn't meant to…"

"Test out your well Miko, and go home." His robes swung as he turned to leave her.

"Why have you stayed in the area Sesshoumaru? You could have left us." She asked pushing herself up on her elbows. He paused in his retreat, his booted feet planting themselves firmly in the dirt.

"As you have said, against everything I believe, she is my daughter. There is no mistaking the fact that you and she are mine. Under Inu rule, I have no choice but to protect my own." He turned slightly to look down at her. "If I were to leave you alone and something happened to you, I would be killed for my insolence." His golden eyes narrowed on her sending a chill down her spine. "As long as you are here Miko, you are my responsibility, and mine alone."

Of course after he had left her sitting there in the dust with his words still flowing through her mind, she was stunned. She hadn't realized that. He had never told her anything like that in the past. It had never really came up before she supposed but it was stunning all the same. So she had pushed herself up and tested her well out knowing that if she stayed she would end up destined to more than one Sesshoumaru. Weird thinking but all the same it couldn't happen, unfortunately her gut had been right. The well was closed, locking her in this time.

Grudgingly, with no other options at her disposal, she found her way back to the campsite. Sanyu was awake and leaned over the fire, finally having pulled the blaring music from her ears.

"It wouldn't let you through would it?" When she didn't answer Sanyu turned to look up at her. "It will be ok mama." Sanyu said with a calmness that reminded her so much of her father.

Her beautiful Sanyu had grown so much, she had hoped for better than this. She hadn't wanted her to go through what she had gone through. Not only that but she had never wanted to be separated from Sesshoumaru again. Not after what had happened last time. Forcing her sadness down Kagome settled her bow and arrows over her shoulder and put out the small fire Sanyu had made.

"What now mama?" Sanyu asked as she watched her mother scatter any evidence that they were there. "Mama?"

"We need to go Sanyu." Kagome said looking up toward the east. "There's still someone that might be able to help us."

"Who mama?"

"Someone from a time I never thought to see again." She said shifting her long hair over her shoulder. With a light smile she reached her arm out to her daughter and started their slow hike into the forest. She was surprised that she still knew the way. She had been there only once but it had been the first time she had truly started seeing Sesshoumaru as something more than a demon lord.

"Was dad always like that?" Sanyu asked out of nowhere an hour into their walk. She had been mostly quiet though she had packed the ipod back into her pack in an attempt to save the battery she was steadily looking around her at their surroundings. It was easy to forget how dangerous it was when it was so peaceful. You wouldn't know that there were monsters and demons out there waiting. You wouldn't know there was a youkai lord following your every movement.

"Your father was stoic and emotionless. He wasn't much different that this times Sesshoumaru, though this one seems to lack the determination the man I knew had. Though I'm unsure whether it's a good or bad thing." Right then Sesshoumaru's demon aura pushed against hers making her push back in reply. He was angry with her words. For saying he had no determination. Sanyu must have felt the rise in energy because she looked around her but went right back into their conversation.

"Why do you say that?" She asked as she jumped over a root at the base of a tree. Kagome couldn't help think of Rin in those last few years she had knew her. She had been thirteen at the time but still acted very much like a child. Sanyu was 15 now but she was glad that she still held that child like character.

"Back when I was your age your father's goal was to kill Inuyasha and take his sword from him. He wanted the power that being a lord didn't already give him. At this point Inuyasha isn't awake yet and the determination he had for the sword isn't there. I assume that the energy he used toward Inuyasha is now being used to farther his hate for humans."

"So…What does that mean for us?" Kagome glanced over at her daughter at her tone. She so desperately wanted to know her father as she had known him. But she was afraid she wouldn't like what she found.

"He's confused though he wont admit it. On the inside his demon recognizes us as his, but his mind had no memory of us. He's attached without having the emotion to hold it together. He wants to hate us for our humanity but on the other hand in some areas we are stronger…" An angry burst of aura had her hiding a smile. "Though, he will deny it until the time comes where there is no way around it." Sanyu stayed silent a long time before she finally spoke again.

"You've been keeping your space from him." Such a simply fact put so much weight on her chest, her soul. How could she explain why she couldn't afford to fall in love with her father again. Not this go round. She was piecing her thoughts together when everything suddenly went silent. The sound of the forest around them was dead. The breeze had died and the natural music of the bugs and creatures that lived there was gone. Grabbing Sanyu's arm she pulled her to a stop.

"Do you hear that?" Kagome asked.

"Yea, its too quiet. A predator is near. Sesshoumaru?"

"No, he's been around. If it were him it would have been quiet the whole time. Its something bigger." Reaching out her aura she came back with a sickening chill. "We need to keep moving."

"We can take it, whatever it is."

"No Sanyu, just move. Keep walking."

"But why? What is it?" Kagome urged her forward as she searched over her shoulder through the trees.

"The human army." Sanyu ground her heels into the earth and turned with irritation.

"We are running from humans? In this time?"

"Don't argue with me Sanyu. We are demon enough for them to hate us. They will capture us or kill us on sight." Sanyu opened her mouth to comment but she already knew what she was going to say. "We can't fight them. We could easily hurt them and we can't do that." She said pushing her forward again. With her brows narrowed in her frustration Sanyu finally moved forward on her own. Sanyu was too much like her father and hated running from beings who were weaker than she. In their time she was the strong and never needed to worry about whether someone will see through her, but here the humans knew of demons and knew what to look for. Sesshoumaru was the Lord of the west and the markings they carried linked them together. They would kill them on sight for it.

Ignoring her daughter's obvious irritation she reached her aura out nudging Sesshoumaru. On queue, he was in front of her without a second to spare. She knew he only answered because he was forced to but it took her back to a time when he would have done anything to protect her. Inwardly shaking herself, she squared her jaw and kept her chin high. Before she could get a word out he gripped her arm in a vice grip.

"You're a foolish woman." She ground her teeth to keep a hold on her tongue.

"Just get us out of here Sesshoumaru." She growled. His gold eyes narrowed on her, his claws digging into her skin as he pulled her with him.

"Girl!" He threw over his shoulder at Sanyu and she complied as if 'girl' was her name.

"You can't treat her like she's some minion you picked up in the woods!" She scolded stumbling to keep up with his steps.

"Do you want me to help you?" He asked, his jaw tight with his anger.

"Not if you are going to call her 'girl' like she's some ragamuffin."

When she realized he wouldn't know the word she groaned in frustration. "All the time I took teaching you my times sayings so I could insult you and now its for naught. Why don't I ever get a break."

His hand tightened over her arm and she let out a low growl of her own.

"Your acting like a pup!"

"At least I still have enough respect to call people by their names." She said jerking her arm from him. I don't need your help, just go back to being lord of the west!" She snarled moving forward out of his reach.

"You shouldn't take it personally." Sanyu said walking up beside him. "She's just scared."

"You should be as well. She was right, those men would kill you on sight." Sanyu paused letting him continue toward where her mother stood. From him the threat seemed greater. Glancing around at the now silent forest she rushed toward them.

"Miko."

"Demon." She countered with a coolness that annoyed rather than angered him.

"You should worry less with taunting me and more about saving yourself." He said icily as he grabbed Sanyu's arm in a tight grip pulling them all together as his cloud formed beneath them.

"Where were you going?" With a sigh she grudgingly let the tension out of her body.

"East to see Ayro. He's the only one that has any hope of helping us." His silver brows rose in his first show of surprise since she had come through the well.

"Ayro isn't your concern."

"I have made him my concern. He is like me. I need to see him." She knew he wanted to argue with her but his pride wouldn't let him.

"We will need to turn around."

"He still lives in the small village to the east right?"

"Ayro works for me at my castle."

"Your crazy dead mother still live out back?" She asked nonchalantly drawing a low growl from his throat.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Sanyu interrupted as she slumped to her knees and wrapped her arm around Sesshoumaru's leg in an attempt to stay aboard the cloud as it sped through the sky.

Kagome expected him to kick her aside but just as she was going to lean down to check on Sanyu she paused and stayed as she was. She didn't know if it was conscious thought or if it was part of the inu rule influencing him, but without any change of expression or shift in position he had settled his clawed hand gently over Sanyu's head. Without a word or comment toward her weak stomach he had slowly started smoothing his thumb over her forehead. Not wanting to draw his attention to it she stood straight and watched as the scenery passed by them in flashes of color all the while wondering how this would all turn out for them in the end.


	5. Only The Beginning

**Chapter 5, lets return back to the place where it almost ended. **

**Recap: **"I think I'm going to be sick." Sanyu interrupted as she slumped to her knees and wrapped her arm around Sesshoumaru's leg….without any change of expression or shift in position he had settled his clawed hand gently over Sanyu's head. Not wanting to draw his attention to it she stood straight and watched as the scenery passed by them in flashes of color all the while wondering how this would all turn out for them in the end.

**Chapter 5: Only The Beginning**

By the time Sesshoumaru set his cloud down in a small clearing Sanyu looked green in the face. Her pale color looked sickly against her silver hair. Her arm was still latched tightly around his leg as the cloud dissipated leaving them firmly on the ground. She noticed he had withdrawn his hand from her forehead as Kagome knelt down to smooth the hair from her face.

"She will be fine." She narrowed her eyes at his cold tone before turning back to Sanyu.

"Its ok mama, really, I'm starting to feel better now." She sighed as the color sped back into her cheeks before her eyes. She kept forgetting how demon her daughter really was. Kagome had changed a lot since meeting Sesshoumaru. She had grown more demon as well as miko and her daughter was bound to posses a good deal of both worlds. Though it didn't take from the fact that Sanyu was her daughter and she would always worry for her.

"Not every demon was made for flying." He said already striding away from them to gather wood for a fire. Kagome's brown eyes glanced around the clearing as the sun dipped behind the tree line. It was a small out of the way clearing just wide enough for them to spread out and avoid each other if they wanted.

"Do we have to do that tomorrow?" Sanyu asked pushing to her feet. Kagome smiled noticing the slight unease in her gold eyes. Best way to take her mind off it was to pick at her.

"Your not chickening out on me are you? Big bad Sanyu is scared of a little height?" Kagome mocked standing back on her feet.

"Nooo…."Sanyu said pushing her fists into her hips. "I just don't want Sesshoumaru to have to live with you any longer than necessary."

"Oh really" Kagome said crossing her arms over her chest with a straight face, but couldn't hold it long before they both bust out laughing.

Sesshoumaru growled at their sudden fit of giggles. They didn't even act like mother and daughter. They acted like friends. Youkai didn't treat their pups that way. They were heirs, children, future generation to carry the line. He had never heard of such. Laughing and carrying on with your pup like they were your friend.

The branches in his hands hitting the ground drew their attention and Sanyu pulled her ipod out and moved near the edge of the clearing while Kagome moved toward him. He had noticed how she kept her distance from him. Though he could care less a part of him was curious about this girl and her story. Though girl was the wrong term.

"That's no way to act with her."

With a slight tilt of her head she sighed and let her arms fall down by her sides. Instead of disrespecting him with a foul comeback she would treat him like she knew he wanted to be treated.

"How would you have me treat her Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Like she is your daughter."

"Why do you care how I act with her, she is mine to do what I will with."

"Its not a way to raise a pup."

"But Lord Sesshoumaru, it is how to raise a baby." She said as he rose to his full height above her. It should have made her nervous but his slanted eyes and harsh appearance didn't phase her in the least. "She may be part youkai Sesshoumaru but she is also part human." He turned his back on her with a growl but she just moved around him so he had no choice but to look at her. "She grew up in a different world Sesshoumaru, she learned what customs she knows from you but she hasn't lived in this time. She hasn't fought youkai all her life and been taught by a Lord. You taught her as a father. A father that cared and played with his daughter. A father that had left his world behind him to take care of us. She was raised to act human Sesshoumaru."

"Then I was a fool!" No matter what she said against it he would continue to think his alternate self foolish for giving up his youkai instincts. One day he would realize though. One day the world around him would start changing and he would have no choice. Until then she wasn't going to argue or fight with him. The last thing she wanted to do was fight with him.

"Maybe you were…" She said softly. "Maybe your right Sesshoumaru-sama." She said moving past him. Without thinking she brushed a hand over his shoulder as she passed and they both tensed at the action. With the same calmness she had brushed his shoulder she let her hand fall to her side. "I'm sorry." A deep sadness leaked through her voice as she turned away from him. "I forget where I am…"

His muscles didn't ease until she left through the trees of the clearing. Her light touch had sent every nerve he had on edge, and that reaction angered him. No one touched him, especially not like that. It was as if she were familiar with him, at ease with his demeanor in a way that no one but his mate would be. What bothered him the most was the fact that her touch, a touch from a woman he had never met before, could calm his demon.

As much as he fought her words, he had no choice but to believe they were true. The girl was his, Kagome was his mate, and he had obviously at some point fallen to the same fate his father had. Human love. A growl formed in his throat just thinking about it. A part of him wanted to deny it even as his inner demon recognized them as his. Even though his mind told him otherwise, his nose didn't lie, and his reaction to her was proof enough.

His ears twitched at the sound of Sanyu's blaring music. Narrowing his eyes on her slumped figure he moved toward her.

"Towering over me is not going to work. You remember I lived with you for 15 years, you don't scare me." She said not bothering to look up at him. With a growl he tore the buds from her ear ripping the ipod from her hands.

"Hey!" She snapped quickly moving to her feet. "That was a gift!"

"Who would give you such a thing."

"You."

"I am not your father." He snapped back tossing the device over his shoulder.

In an instant she was behind him snatching the ipod out of the air.

"If you believed that you wouldn't be here. My father wouldn't waste his time on something that wasn't important to him." She clutched the device to her chest as if it were so much more than a simply musical toy.

"Why do you listen to that thing?"

"It was the first thing you ever got me that you didn't have an alternative motive for." She said solemnly. "I don't know how you were before but the person I grew up with was stern and everything he did was always a way to teach me or train me the best he could. This silly device as you call it, is the first thing that wasn't supposed to be used to teach me anything. For once you had thought of me and what I wanted."

"Your mother said you were raised human and didn't get taught."

"I wasn't taught in youkai ways, but there are still plenty of reasons in our world to need protection. Our world is different, not better."

When he turned back to the fire without a reply she pushed the ipod into her pocket. Following his movements with her eyes she Moved herself forward and sat quietly as he gathered more wood for the fire. Watching him was like watching her own father back home. He moved with purpose and with a quiet that could be deadly. As he moved back and forth she couldn't help wonder about the stories her father had told. Though stern he was kind. She didn't see kindness in this man before her. Crossing her legs she leaned forward letting her mouth move on its own accord.

"My father use to tell me about how he had been before my mother. He said he was always searching for something and he hadn't ever really known what for." She paused to see his reaction but when he didn't so much as look her way or pause in his steps she continued. "What are you searching for?"

"Didn't your father tell you?" He asked snidely. She knew that had been a jab at the fact that they were supposed to be one in the same. She let it slide off as the flame came to life and played in her golden eyes. As he moved to lean back against a small tree opposite her she couldn't help study him. The similarities and differences between him and her father back home. His hair was long but just a silver as hers though over the centuries her father had cut his hair to fit in. Their eyes, though the same they were different. The eyes that had always leaned over to tuck her in at night had grown gentle and soft over the years, light with their newly found youth with her mother. But this man across from her who resembled her father in so many ways could never look at her the same. His eyes were angry with his hatred for happiness, dark with how his life had made him so old and untrusting. They were black holes they absorbed everything but understood very little.

When she came back those eyes scolded her through narrowed slits. Sitting upright and holding her head high she matched him perfectly. "He told me what he had ended up finding, not what he thought he was searching for."

"I have no need to search for anything."

"You mean there is nothing out there you want or desire? Nothing you wish for or need? Don't you have goals or dreams?" Her voice lightened as she spoke. Dreams were big for children her age. They were miracles and wishes came true during those years she was in. He considered answering her. As much as he tried he couldn't deny her an answer. He could get ignore and be short with everyone, everyone but this child with eyes that were so much like his. This girl with an attitude that could easily rival his own. This girl with so much cheer and happiness that she couldn't have ever gotten it from him. The same happiness her mother held. That's what it was. Both mother and daughter held the same desire for joy that he seemed to lack. The same way of talking and pushing him to a new edge he never knew he would ever have to stand on. On this edge he had two choices. Ignore and leave them and continue on his way as the ice lord everyone knew him for, or accept that his life had changed forever and start acting like the person they believe him to be. It was almost impossible to think that way. It was a major change for him to answer her at all even if he was stoic.

Lightening his tone and softening his eyes he watched her smile in anticipation of his answer. She wasn't stupid, she didn't expect a real response. She was already planning her retort in her mind. He knew that because it was how he acted. Every conversation was a mind game.

"Dreams are for children. When you grow up you realize that dreams don't come true like you were once told. You might as well stop dreaming now."

"You never know, sometimes dreams do come true. Be in the right place at the right time and anything could happen. Maybe you just gave up on dreaming before your miracle happened. Of course, even if you did have a dream, even if you were searching for something you wouldn't tell me."

"Did your father not teach you to hold your tongue." He snapped.

"Now if I were to walk around holding my tongue all the time I would look pretty silly now wouldn't I?"

"Sanyu…Don't bother him." Kagome called gently from behind. "There is a spring half a mile in, why don't you go rinse off and we settle for the night."

"Ok mama." She said skipping off. "And don't reach your aura out tracking me." She called back over her shoulder as she left into the fading light. Kagome smiled and shook her head.

"She grew up too fast." She said cheerily before remembering where she was and who she was with. She relaxed her muscles and let her expression fade back to one of simple calm. Without another word she seated herself in Sanyu's earlier seat and silently combed her fingers through her damp hair. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" She asked lightly as a thought occurred to her. He didn't move but she could tell he was listening. The small signs like the slight tilt of his face toward her or the twitch of his ear. The things no one would notice unless they were looking for them. She smiled at the fact that no matter what time they were in, this time or another, his signs were the same. "You will tell me if I go into heat while I'm here won't you?" She didn't think he would answer for a moment but she didn't let it bother her. If nothing else she had learned he would answer when he felt like it. So without a pause she continued combing out her hair patiently awaiting his reply. And after moments, just as she knew he would, his voice rolled to her over the warmth of the fire.

"You have no need to worry Miko."

"Some how that's not reassuring when it's what you said last time. And I happened to end up in the dirt a lot more than I would have liked with a blood eyed demon over me."

"I would never have lost control for a human's heat." He growled out across the flames. She stopped her motions and pulled her hair over her shoulder to lay in her lap.

"It disturbed you greatly at the time as well. You were always so in control of everything around you and suddenly here was this miko in heat that could send you over the edge. It was scary." Her eyes narrowed on the fire and he could almost see the images flash across her eyes as she remembered. "You tried to kill me on more than one occasion, or you will I guess. But, while I was traveling with you I felt protected and respected. You saw me as a weak human for so long but somehow I changed your mind and I still to this day don't know how." She looked up at him to find his gold eyes intent on her. "You lost control for a miko. You had once told me that is wasn't an Inu's nature to harm but to be caring. I hadn't believed you and I don't think you really believed yourself either."

"Why are you telling me this Miko." Her brown eyes slid from him back to the fire. The glow of the flames moving across the silkiness of her hair and skin. Why was she telling him? He didn't need to know and he obviously didn't really want to hear it. She should be keeping as far from him as possible but a part of her couldn't do it. She at least needed this much. To hear his voice, to speak with him.

"I just wanted to talk Sesshoumaru -sama. The first time around I spent five years hating you and fighting you, I don't want to do it this time."

"I am not your friend Miko. It would be a mistake for you to think any differently." She simply nodded at the response she had expected from him.

"I realize that Sesshoumaru-sama." She said with a peacefulness that annoyed him. Somehow she had made peace and calm into an annoyance. He wondered momentarily if he was just looking for something to be wrong with her. If he hadn't known better he would have thought he wanted her to fight and argue with him.

"Your heat will not bother me. If we are mated your scent is dulled by mine and no youkai would search you out."

"Why wont it bother you?" The look in his eyes told her she should have known this already and that telling her was more of a chore than anything but he spoke anyway as if he were speaking to a child. With a sigh she let it go and listened.

"There is no reason for it to pull me after we have already mated. I will know it but it will not have control over me."

"What wont have control over you?" His gold eyes rose over her head as Sanyu came up behind her.

"Nothing baby, come let me comb your hair out." With a roll of her eyes Sanyu flopped down in front of her relaxing instantly as her fingers started massaging her scalp. Kagome glanced up over Sanyu's head and noticed how Sesshoumaru had closed his eyes against the glow of the fire. Orange and yellow danced over his pale skin and it rushed her back to a day not much different than this. Shaking the memory she held no doubt that he was still very awake and still intent on every noise and every movement they made. He hadn't ever been one to miss very much even in sleep.

"You said we were going to see Ayro. Who is that?"

"Someone who helped us out a long time ago."

"You mean you and dad?"

"Yes." Kagome paused to see that Sesshoumaru still had his eyes closed. "Your father had ruined my outfit in training and had promised me a new one. At the time Ayro lived in a village to the east with a shop full of beautiful kimonos. He was charming and very nice."

"How had your outfit gotten ruined?"

"Your father thought I needed less clothing to move. He didn't think I could move with the excess flow." She said mockingly glancing up to notice his gold eyes had settled on her. "Taught me well don't you think?" She asked openly toward no one in particular knowing he got her meaning. She and he were evenly matched as far as she could tell, and from the day before he knew it as well.

"You could stand to learn a little more." He said coolly.

"As could you Lord Sesshoumaru." She could hear the light growl that formed in his throat from where she sat. "There's always more to be learned, wouldn't you agree?" Resentfully he gave a curt nod in agreement.

"How long do I have to ride that…thing…tomorrow?" Sanyu asked already growing sick at the thought.

"Few hours at the most." Kagome assured brushing Sanyu's bangs from her forehead.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"A few hours my ass!"

"Sanyu!" Kagome chided.

So it had taken them a little longer than she thought to land near the village. Sanyu had squeezed her eyes the whole ride not touching her ipod once. His castle was just beyond the trees and Sanyu was already blaring her music. Kagome sighed and shook her head at her daughter.

"She's going to attract every demon within a hundred miles with that thing."

"Doubtful, no demon within a hundred miles would be able to stand it." Glancing back at Sanyu she could only imagine what it sounded like to him. Her hearing had grown but Sanyu's had to be ten times better than her own if not the same as his.

"How can she stand it?"

"As you said Miko, she was raised human."

"That has nothing to do with her hearing." He didn't reply and it drew her attention back to him. His arms were crossed hiding his hands beneath his sleeves. His long silver hair seemed endless and shifted like waves in the breeze.

"Miko." She gave herself a mental shake and let her eyes travel along the forests ground as rays of sun found its way through leaving patterns along the ground.

"Yes Sesshoumaru-sama?" When he didn't speak she glanced his way. His face was never one to give away emotion but she swore she saw hesitation in the curve of his mouth, in the way his eyes darkened. "The best way to ask something is to just say it you know. The more you think on it the harder it becomes."

"If I needed your help I would have asked." She lowered her eyes to the ground once again before looking up toward Sanyu ahead of them.

"Forgive me Lord Sesshoumaru, it was not my place."

"Indeed." She could feel that word like heat on her ears. Even to this day he used that on her. She had yet to decide if it were simply an agreement or a word to use when he didn't know what else to say.

As they walked in silence she watched Sanyu sway ahead of them to some song blaring from her ears. It was one Kagome recognized, slower in rhythm to most songs but not soft. Without her permission she could feel her lips vibrate from the light hum that the song had brought about. Her fingers kept beat against her thigh as her own body picked up its own sway. She realized how easy it was to lose yourself in something like music. It had never been her thing as a child but she had gotten more than her fair dose of it from her daughter. Sanyu did a half turn and started walking backwards with a grin on her face when she saw her. Sanyu reached a hand out to her and in the middle of the woods they played at dancing as they continued forward. Letting her hearing ease the song grew in her mind until she could hear the words and feel the beat. She laughed and Sanyu moved past her back ahead of them.

Kagome could feel the heat from Sesshoumaru's stare. She knew he disapproved of the way she acted but he wouldn't always. She remembered the day she had asked him to dance with her. It had been a beautiful night and he had grudgingly allowed her to pull him forward.

"Do you dance Sesshoumaru?" She asked settling back beside him to walk. He wanted to dismiss her. Ignore that she was even there but he couldn't even if he wanted to. He wanted so badly to give a snide remark and have her get angry so he could get angry as well but she wouldn't allow him that. The damned woman was impossible. Her calm wouldn't be ruined along with the spark in her eye that seemed to come and go with her cheer. Instead he stayed silent.

His silence was a slap in the face. It brought her back to the reality she was in. He wasn't her Sesshoumaru and he sure wasn't the same person she had danced with under the stars so many years ago. She didn't have the chance to step away because right then Sanyu stopped in their path where the trees had broken free to the sunlight. Her mouth was hung open and she slowly pulled the buds from her ears.

"Is that your mansion? Holy cow!" Sanyu said, envy dripping from her lips.

Kagome stepped out from the trees into the light of the sun. His mansion was just as stunning as it had been the first time she laid eyes on it. It was midday and the sun shone right overhead. The rocky surface of it glistened in the light the sun cast. Her pulse sped and her stomach flipped. The sight was like a stampede on her heart. So much of her time had been spent here. She had learned to love him in this building, and in this building she had almost lost everything and it shook her. The memories that rushed through her flooded her mind and stole her breath. Her whispered words rolled off her tongue and seemed to disappear, gliding along with the wind.

"And so I've returned."


End file.
